Venezuela: Refugee Crisis Requires Concerted Regional Response

Governments Should Collaborate to Protect Rights of Fleeing Venezuelans

(New York) – Governments in the Americas should develop a collective and uniform response to the exodus of people fleeing Venezuela, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. They should consider adopting a uniform temporary protection regime to afford security and legal status to Venezuelans seeking protection. Venezuela’s deepening crisis has triggered the largest migration flow of its kind in recent Latin American history.The 33-page report, “The Venezuelan Exodus: The Need for a Regional Response to an Unprecedented Migration Crisis,” documents efforts by South American governments to address the massive numbers of Venezuelans crossing their borders, as well as recent setbacks that threaten Venezuelans’ ability to seek protection. In some Caribbean islands, Venezuelans are subject to arbitrary arrests and deportations. Xenophobic incidents are a growing concern.